Jesus Knows our Situation

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scripture Text:  Mark 6:45-52

Mark 6:48

And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night^[a] he came to them, walking on the sea.

(ESV)

We live in a digitally connected age where individuals can instantly converse with others from around the world.  Logic would lead to the belief this connectivity would result in a reduction in loneliness.  However, both emotional and social loneliness decrease with greater face-to-face connection but online connection results in lower social loneliness but greater emotional loneliness.  (1)  While attendance of church services online can provide a social media connection with a church community, we miss the vital face-to-face connection that helps alleviate emotional loneliness. 

The account of Jesus’ walking on the water contained in Mark 6:45-52 illustrates the supernatural power of God through Jesus over nature.  Jesus does the impossible, walks on water, and silences the storm.  However, this account in Scripture also illustrates that while there was a physical separation between Jesus and His Disciples, He was aware of the Disciple’s situation and performed a miracle to save them. 

When struggles come, it is normal for us to believe we are experiencing something no one else has ever experienced.  This is especially true when we lack face-to-face connectivity lacking in emotional connection with others.  Through face-to-face connection, one is not only able to voice their struggles with others with them able to offer advice, but we can also provide emotional support beyond what words can express.  For the Disciples, this face-to-face connection was with Jesus Himself, but Jesus was not with them in the boat during the storm. 

While Mark 6:45-52 does not provide insight into the emotions of the Disciples while struggling in the storm, The fact that they did not recognize Jesus walking on the water but instead believed He was a ghost and were terrified indicates they had much fear.  Their physical separation from God resulted in fear trumping faith in their lives leading to them not even recognizing the Lord coming to save them.  When in the middle of a struggle in life, fear can have a paralyzing effect on people lacking any emotional connection of faith with others.  While the digital age allows people access to the same Bible teaching online and in person, the lack of emotional face-to-face connection starves the feeding of faith in one’s life, allowing the emotion of fear to thrive.  In addition to regular face-to-face connection through church attendance,  an emotional connection with God comes through,

1)      Prayer – When the only form of communication was a face-to-face connection, the idea of prayer could have seemed awkward since people were unable to see God’s face while praying.  However, in the digital age where people regularly communicate with faceless people over their phone, through texting, and over the internet, it should be easier.  Just like when sending someone a text or email, we can imagine God hearing us and coming to our aid just like He did for the disciples (Mark 6:48).  However, our prayers to God must consist of more than presenting a list of wants, needs, and desires, and offer worship, praise, and repentance following the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15). 

2)      Reading and studying the Bible – The absence of the opportunity to sit down and talk to God face-to-face means we cannot hear words directly from His mouth.  However, God has provided His Word, the Bible for us.  While this resembles a connection with others online, lacking any emotional connection, it has an emotional connection for those choosing Jesus as their Savior through the Holy Spirit.  This is because Scripture represents more than just words on a page for a Christian and are words directly from God.  The words of the current song from David Crowder illustrate this emotional connection.  Please take a moment to watch and listen to the video for the song.  Due to the presence and counsel of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian, the words of the Bible come alive and offer transformation in one’s life through their application (Romans 12:2). 

3)      Meditation and application of the Bible in our lives – The Word of God becomes powerful in one’s life when it moves from being something we know mentally to something we believe in our hearts.  This is when we establish an emotional connection with God.  Meditation can be a confusing concept for Christians as they confuse it with eastern meditation which is the emptying of the mind and connection with one’s inner self.  Biblical meditation is what is meant by Romans 12:2 and consists of emptying the mind of worldly thoughts and mental renewal by filling it with biblical thoughts.  Instead of an empty mind influenced by the deceitful thoughts of one’s heart (Jeremiah 17:9), biblical meditation results in a mind full of the Word of God becoming the center of one’s heart. 

While there is a delay in our physical connection with Jesus is while we serve as ambassadors for Christ in fulfillment of the Great Commission (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:9-10), we do have a connection through God’s Word.  This connection differs, however, from an online connection lacking emotional connectivity in that it has the dynamic of the Holy Spirit that came after Jesus ascension and physical separation from His followers.  Our connection with God through His Word does not lack physical connection as it continues to have a physical connection with God through the Holy Spirit. 

The greatest comfort for a follower of Christ is the knowledge Jesus is fully aware of their situation.  Christians can also find comfort in knowing that while God is no longer on earth in flesh His Holy Spirit is with them wherever they are.  We may, like Job, not understand why things happen in our lives but can find comfort in knowing Gods plans for us are good and that all things happening in our lives will work out for our good (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28).  I pray all reading this will find peace in knowing God is aware of their situation and in control.     

1. Moody, Eric J. Internet Use and Its Relationahip ro Loneliness. www.liebertpub.com. [Online] CyberPsychology & Behavior, July 5, 2004. [Cited: June 30, 2019.] https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/109493101300210303.